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ThatOneDude

Commander in @Chief, Dick Army
First 100
Jan 14, 2015
35,390
34,114
You have this confused. I am not the poor, I have made 6 figures since the age of 21. The issue is that even at that wage it's difficult at best to get ahead. What company is going to hire you if you don't have an education from a GOOD college? 'Good College' will cost you 50k per year. Good luck with moving your way out of that. Way to start your life. This isn't about me it's about America bilking those who have less.
I got a good job, with a good company, with no degree. If it's difficult to get by with 100k, maybe you are doing it wrong, or you should find a more affordable place to live. The cost of living in the tri-state area is a joke.
 

ThatOneDude

Commander in @Chief, Dick Army
First 100
Jan 14, 2015
35,390
34,114
My wife's sister is a regional manager of a major hotel chain, her husband is a mechanic, they own a small house in the south probably in a place as 'cheap' as Thatonedude.

Had money set back for the kids college, BOOM heart problems from hubby now bankruptcy sucks everything in like a black hole.

Why does the middle class have to live on that ledge? Let me guess. he should've exercised more?
No, but if you are going to take care of your family you should have something to fall back on.
 

ThatOneDude

Commander in @Chief, Dick Army
First 100
Jan 14, 2015
35,390
34,114
And just to reiterate, I'm not saying their aren't other problems, but people need to focus on the things they can control first and foremost imo and other things will fall in place for you and your family.
 
P

Punch

Guest
And just to reiterate, I'm not saying their aren't other problems, but people need to focus on the things they can control first and foremost imo and other things will fall in place for you and your family.
This just isn't always true however.
 

SNIDELY WHIPLASH

DOOGOODER!!!!!!
Feb 16, 2015
1,643
2,186
I got a good job, with a good company, with no degree. If it's difficult to get by with 100k, maybe you are doing it wrong, or you should find a more affordable place to live. The cost of living in the tri-state area is a joke.
Again, this isn't about me and it's not about New York, not sure why you keep circling that. You seem to think jobs migrate wherever you go, that you somehow don't make less when you go to a place that costs less. Also not sure why you aren't addressing costs of living for everybody NOT making six-figures.

I don't think you're really in the mindset of what's going on in this country. Hint: It's NOT a million people who just don't know how to balance their checkbooks.
 

SNIDELY WHIPLASH

DOOGOODER!!!!!!
Feb 16, 2015
1,643
2,186
No, but if you are going to take care of your family you should have something to fall back on.
Are you not listening? I said 'medical bills', so much so that there's NOTHING left. Do you think responsible homeowners would go bankrupt if they had any choice? You really honestly believe people just don't know what their doing and it's just bad decision making. This is the problem in this country.
 

SNIDELY WHIPLASH

DOOGOODER!!!!!!
Feb 16, 2015
1,643
2,186
And just to reiterate, I'm not saying their aren't other problems, but people need to focus on the things they can control first and foremost imo and other things will fall in place for you and your family.
That's hyperbole. People HAVE to focus on the things they can control first, there's no choice in that equation. Again, what needs to happen is a culture shift so that monies headed for a company's pocket or an individual's pocket finds it's way back into areas to lower the middle-class cost of living.

That's pretty much all.
 

ThatOneDude

Commander in @Chief, Dick Army
First 100
Jan 14, 2015
35,390
34,114
Again, this isn't about me and it's not about New York, not sure why you keep circling that. You seem to think jobs migrate wherever you go, that you somehow don't make less when you go to a place that costs less. Also not sure why you aren't addressing costs of living for everybody NOT making six-figures.

I don't think you're really in the mindset of what's going on in this country. Hint: It's NOT a million people who just don't know how to balance their checkbooks.
You do have potential to make less where you go, but that's not always true. My ex when she moved to Texas she was getting paid less per hour than she was up north, but her paychecks were greater due to no state income tax and she had more money to spend after bills were paid. I was fortunate enough to make more in salary down here than I did up north so in that regards it doesn't really matter. I'm not making 6 figures and I happen to do great.
 

ThatOneDude

Commander in @Chief, Dick Army
First 100
Jan 14, 2015
35,390
34,114
Are you not listening? I said 'medical bills', so much so that there's NOTHING left. Do you think responsible homeowners would go bankrupt if they had any choice? You really honestly believe people just don't know what their doing and it's just bad decision making. This is the problem in this country.
Yes I do believe a lot of people make poor choices and then want to blame others. Call it being cold hearted but I think that is a lot of what happens in the country. Of course that's not every case, and I'm not sure of your families specific situation.
 

ThatOneDude

Commander in @Chief, Dick Army
First 100
Jan 14, 2015
35,390
34,114
That's hyperbole. People HAVE to focus on the things they can control first, there's no choice in that equation. Again, what needs to happen is a culture shift so that monies headed for a company's pocket or an individual's pocket finds it's way back into areas to lower the middle-class cost of living.

That's pretty much all.
But why can't those people also help themselves instead of pointing to everything else being the problem.
 
P

Punch

Guest
I'm on a fixed income being a disabled veteran, and i manage to make ends meet. However, I also have the benefit of a tremendous support system in my family and have free (albeit extremely shitty) health care. After paying my bills and taking care of my family there is precious little left over for anything else. It is a big deal to go out to see a movie. So yeah, i have empathy for people that aren't doing so hot. The people that horde money like it's the only thing that matters in life and refuse to help their fellow man with any sort of altruism make me a bit angry.
 

Leigh

Engineer
Pro Fighter
Jan 26, 2015
10,925
21,023
If I had never seen someone produce a quarter-million dollar W2 and be denied the ability to rent an apartment maybe I would believe this myth of pulling yourself up.

Yes, you can do quite well by doing the right things in life like getting educated and finding a good job, you can also have a Master's degree and be working for minimum wage. Think I'm kidding? I know a person for every example I'm making. I had a friend have to move to Chicago to simply find work in his field, he was a lifelong New Yorker.

People bring up Affirmative Action like scores of jobs are being handed out. Which is it? Are people not working or are thousands being given jobs? It can't be both. The answer is that the mere existence of AA is a talking point, although in reality the numbers of people getting these 'jobs' don't add up to jack shit. White women are the primary beneficiaries if I recall correctly, and even then I'm sure all 50 of them appreciate it.

Culture is ALWAYS in the mix, but acting as though it's the primary cause is super short-sighted. People out here are just fucking mean, and it's THAT culture that should change before anything else.
It's not a myth, you most certainly can get above the poverty line. Not everyone realises how, though.

I fully believe you that you know people with degrees who are on minimum wage. I doubt they are mathematics or engineering degrees though.

AA is racism. Plain and simple. Asians, despite being a minority, are prejudiced against when applying for certain universities. Why should Jayden Smith get an easier pass than a Korean kid from a ghetto?
 
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ThatOneDude

Commander in @Chief, Dick Army
First 100
Jan 14, 2015
35,390
34,114
I'm on a fixed income being a disabled veteran, and i manage to make ends meet. However, I also have the benefit of a tremendous support system in my family and have free (albeit extremely shitty) health care. After paying my bills and taking care of my family there is precious little left over for anything else. It is a big deal to go out to see a movie. So yeah, i have empathy for people that aren't doing so hot. The people that horde money like it's the only thing that matters in life and refuse to help their fellow man with any sort of altruism make me a bit angry.
I sympathize for you man, I have a 60% disability rating from my time in. My body hurts everyday, my mental shit has stopped me from being able to take advantage of opportunities that were offered to me. I've been in a shitty spot where some really shitty choices needed to be made such as paying a bill or eating food that day. But for me personally, and I don't know how similar or different your specific situation is to mine or even if you can do what I did (and if you cant you should be better taken care of for what you went and did, but veterans care is a whole different topic). But for me, I said fuck it, I lowered my shoulder and pushed forward and said I'm not going to let this define me or let this be the rest of my life. I stopped feeling sorry for myself, again my specific situation, and pushed for something better and made a better life for myself. I'm not some dude sitting up in his ivory tower, I've lived the struggle and said enough is enough, took the resources I had, and made changes and learned skills that would benefit me.
 

lookoutawhale

Mammal of the Sea
Jan 20, 2015
4,404
7,297
Some good discussion here. I guess i'll add my 2 cents

I think the point of the video was to show how big the income disparity is. It doesn't have a solution on how to fix it but just to get the word out there at how unbalanced things are getting.

It raises an interesting question of whether a CEO should be making 380 x than the average worker. Its gotten to insane levels where a small percentage of people are getting too much of a cut of profits.

When the auto industry was faltering and they went to Washington to ask for bailout money, its was interesting to see the politicians grill them and asking them how they got to Washington. They all came by private jet costing thousands of dollars instead of purchasing a normal plane ticket and the politicians on the panel had a field day with them with the audacity of them asking the government for money while travelling in excess.

Im reading a great book by potential future presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren and her struggles to go against the big banks that were giving loans to people they knew couldn't afford housing because they knew they would falter. And then once they did falter would tell the family to take out another mortgage on their house so they could squeeze every little piece of money from them when they would declare bankruptcy. They knew this and did it on purpose. They also got lobbyists to Washington to create new laws that would make it even harder to declare bankruptcy so they could squeeze even more money. She talked to the main executives at Citibank about this problem and how this is wrong. They said they did it to make more profit. And she said what about the families that are being ruined by this who are working their butt off to get by and the head guy said he didnt care. They wanted profits. They didn't care for the people.

There is a real issue here of too much wealth going to a small group of people. And then the rich using that money to purchase lobbyists to create laws to keep them in business. When normal people dont have money they declare bankruptcy and ruin their credit. When the big banks went under for maleficence and trying to screw people on purpose no one went to jail. They paid off the government billion of dollars, accepted no wrong doing, continued business again and shortly after decided to give themselves big bonuses again.

I feel thats what the video is saying in essence. Its skewed to heavily in one way and we need to find a way to make things right for an even level playing field. Kind of like the UFC. We want the talent to make money and the owners should make their cash but the fighters shouldnt be breaking their backs for a 80% 20% cut where the fertittas brothers take a the majority of the profits and leave the hundreds of fighters with lower pay than they deserve. That there should be more equal distribution of wealth.
 

Leigh

Engineer
Pro Fighter
Jan 26, 2015
10,925
21,023
Well, I kinda wonder what the point of pointing it out is if there is no way to address it.

But my big takeaway from this is that someone struggles to get by on a 6 figure salary. No wonder he feels working class people should earn more.
 

SNIDELY WHIPLASH

DOOGOODER!!!!!!
Feb 16, 2015
1,643
2,186
But why can't those people also help themselves instead of pointing to everything else being the problem.
That's a black or white argument. It's not about blaming the system for everything, it's about realizing that some things OBVIOUSLY don't make sense. Why do CEO's keep getting more money even in the face of failure? Why does the cost of living go up and wages stay stagnant? it's been decades of people taking responsibility for themselves yet quality of life isn't getting better for the middle class.
 

SNIDELY WHIPLASH

DOOGOODER!!!!!!
Feb 16, 2015
1,643
2,186
Well, I kinda wonder what the point of pointing it out is if there is no way to address it.

But my big takeaway from this is that someone struggles to get by on a 6 figure salary. No wonder he feels working class people should earn more.
LOL, did I mention the word 'struggle' at all? No, what I said was that even at a six-figure salary you're not guaranteed to live on easy street. Pretty much all of my friends are high wage earners, yet all of them came out of college with deep debt...and interest. Add mortgages, cost of living, baby sitting, insurance, travel and a trillion other little niggles that add up.....puh-lease. Yet other people who claim to be in the middle class want to nitpick over these people speaking up for increasing costs.

Way to sink your own Battleship.
 

ThatOneDude

Commander in @Chief, Dick Army
First 100
Jan 14, 2015
35,390
34,114
LOL, did I mention the word 'struggle' at all? No, what I said was that even at a six-figure salary you're not guaranteed to live on easy street. Pretty much all of my friends are high wage earners, yet all of them came out of college with deep debt...and interest. Add mortgages, cost of living, baby sitting, insurance, travel and a trillion other little niggles that add up.....puh-lease. Yet other people who claim to be in the middle class want to nitpick over these people speaking up for increasing costs.

Way to sink your own Battleship.
I believe the exact wording was "I have made 6 figures since the age of 21. The issue is that even at that wage it's difficult at best to get ahead"
 

Simpleman

First 100
First 100
Jan 15, 2015
1,157
1,661
If I had never seen someone produce a quarter-million dollar W2 and be denied the ability to rent an apartment maybe I would believe this myth of pulling yourself up.

Yes, you can do quite well by doing the right things in life like getting educated and finding a good job, you can also have a Master's degree and be working for minimum wage. Think I'm kidding? I know a person for every example I'm making. I had a friend have to move to Chicago to simply find work in his field, he was a lifelong New Yorker.

People bring up Affirmative Action like scores of jobs are being handed out. Which is it? Are people not working or are thousands being given jobs? It can't be both. The answer is that the mere existence of AA is a talking point, although in reality the numbers of people getting these 'jobs' don't add up to jack shit. White women are the primary beneficiaries if I recall correctly, and even then I'm sure all 50 of them appreciate it.

Culture is ALWAYS in the mix, but acting as though it's the primary cause is super short-sighted. People out here are just fucking mean, and it's THAT culture that should change before anything else.
What did your friend do for a living where they couldn't find a job? Getting a degree in "women's art history during the late 1600's" is a problem of their own creation. Not every job should be a career and not every degree will make you a fortune. IMHO most basic college degrees (AA, BS and Masters) are not worth the $
 

ThatOneDude

Commander in @Chief, Dick Army
First 100
Jan 14, 2015
35,390
34,114
But SNIDELY WHIPLASH @GAY HOEMAN you need to check your privilege and your 6 figure income before you start talking about inequality.
 

SNIDELY WHIPLASH

DOOGOODER!!!!!!
Feb 16, 2015
1,643
2,186
What did your friend do for a living where they couldn't find a job? Getting a degree in "women's art history during the late 1600's" is a problem of their own creation. Not every job should be a career and not every degree will make you a fortune. IMHO most basic college degrees (AA, BS and Masters) are not worth the $
Good guess. He was a programmer with 2 Masters in the applicable fields. His wife was a maternity nurse. Tried to start a business when he couldn't find work. Lasted 6 months.

So yea.....uselesss.....
 

ThatOneDude

Commander in @Chief, Dick Army
First 100
Jan 14, 2015
35,390
34,114
Good guess. He was a programmer with 2 Masters in the applicable fields. His wife was a maternity nurse. Tried to start a business when he couldn't find work. Lasted 6 months.

So yea.....uselesss.....
Out of curiosity what languages was he proficient in, if you happen to know? Does he have any experience with NPR reports?